Rotary incinerator



www@

May Z3, WW? A. @5mm ROTARY INCINERATOR Filed Aug. 2, 1965 IN VENTORS Awww? 05721111.

United States Patent O 3,320,908 ROTARY INCINERATOR Albert Ostrin, 1658 Xerxes Ave. N., Minneapolis, Minn. 55411 Filed Aug. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 476,335 Claims. (Cl. 110-14) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE A rotary incinerator apparatus including a frame and an elongate rotary drum mounted on the frame by a rotary carriage. A chain and sprocket drive interconnected with the carriage for revolving the same. Splines on the carriage and drum respectively interlocking the drum with the carriage for rotary movement therewith, but permitting axial removal of the drum from the carriage.

This invention relates to an incinerator apparatus and more specically to a rotary incinerator apparatus which has a removable burning drum.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved incinerator apparatus for burning industrial scrap, and which includes a rotary burning drum capable of ready removal from the incinerator apparatus without necessitating complete disassembly of the apparatus.

A more speciiic object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved rotary incinerator apparatus, of simple and inexpensive construction, including a rotary carriage which is mounted on a frame, and having a burning drum splined or otherwise keyed thereto for rotation therewith, the drum being capable of axial removal from the carriage to permit replacement of the burning drum when the latter becomes worn, without necessitating complete disassambly of the incinerator apparatus.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein like character references refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view ot the incinerator apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view thereof with the rotary drum thereof in a partially removed condition; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional View taken approximately along line 3 3 of FiG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings and more specifically to FIG. 1, one embodiment of the novel incinerator apparatus, designated generally yby the reference numeral 1t), is there shown. The incinerator apparatus includes a frame 11 which is preferably constructed of structural steel and although not illustrated in the drawing. The frame may be mounted on suitable concrete footings or the like which are firmly imbedded or implaced into the ground. The incinerator apparatus 1t) also includes a generally cylin-drically shaped carriage 12 which is revolubly mounted on the frame 11 for rotation relative thereto. It will be seen that the carriage 12 includes a plurality of annular members 13 of similar size and construction and each being formed of suitable metallic materials such as steel or the like. These annular members 13 are rigidly interconnected together by a plurality of circumferentially arranged, axially extending spline engaging or` locking elements 14, which as best seen in FIG. 3, are of angle iron construction. It will be noted that at least one leg 15 of the locking elements 14 is disposed in a plane extending radially of the annular members 13.

The means on the frame 11 which support the carriage for revolving movement relative to the frame comprises 3,323,908 Patented May 23, 1967 a plurality of wheels or rollers 16 having guide flanges 17 extending radially outwardly from opposite ends thereof, each roller 16 being revolvably mounted upon a shaft 18 which is carried in `bearings 19 atiixed as by welding to the frame 11. It will lbe noted that two pairs of rollers 16 are provided, each pair engaging one of the end annular members 19, the latter serving as tracks whereby when angular force or torque is exerted on carriage 12, the coaction between the annular or track members 13 with the rollers 16 permit movement of the carriage 12.

Means are provided for driving or power revolving the carriage and to this end it will be seen that the centrally located annular member 13 is to be provided with a sprocket 20 which is affixed thereto and which extends radially outwardly therefrom. An endless drive chain 21 is trained around the sprocket 20 and this drive chain is also trained around a small drive sprocket 22 which is afiixed or keyed to the output shaft of an electric motor 23. The electric motor 23 is connected to a source of electric power and when energized revolves the sprocket 20 and carriage 12 through the drive chain 21.

The `incinerator apparatus 10 also includes a large elongate rotary drum 24 which is preferably constructed of sheet steel and is positioned concentrically within the carriage 12 and is supported thereby. It will be noted the rotary drum 24 is horizontally oriented as is the carriage 12 and the carriage 12 is located approximately centrally of the rotary drum. It also will be noted that the rotary drum 24 is provided with a plurality of elongate locking elements or splines 25 which are arranged circumferentially of the drum 24 and which extend longitudinally or axially thereof. In the embodiment shown, the splines or locking elements 20 are of rod construction and are secured to the exterior surface of the drum preferably by welding or the like. Referring now to FIG. 3 it will be noted that these splines or locking elements are each engaged `by one of the spline engaging or locking elements 14 of carriage 12, and since the carriage 12 is revolved in the direction indicated by the arrow, the locking elements 14 thereon will be maintained in engaging relation with respect to the spline or locking elements 25 and will thereby cause the drum 24 to be revolved.

The interior of the rotary burning: drum 24 may be constructed in the manner of the incinerator apparatus as disclosed in copending application, Se-r. No. 344,698 led Feb. 13, 1964, now Pat. No. 3,269,341. However, `since the interior construction of the rotary burning drum 24 does not constitute per se the essential features of the present invention it is felt that it is unnecessary to describe the interior of the burning drum in detail. The rotary `burning drum 24 includes an ingress end 26 and an'egress end 27. A short endwise protruding ring 28 is attached to the egress end 27, the egress end having an opening therein with which the ring 28 is disposed in communicating relation. The ring 28 is also connected in communicating relation to an opening in the side wall of a stack housing 29. The stack housing has a discharge opening 36D connected to a combustion gas discharging stack 31 which is of a suitable height as to provide the necessary draft.

Means are also provided for supplying wastes, scraps, and other materials into the incinerator and this means in the embodiment shown, includes a supply hopper 33 having an opentop which is disposed adjacent a suitable discharge chute 34 from which materials may be emptied into the hopper 33. It is pointed out that the materials to be incinerated may include industrial wastes, scraps and the like which may 'be mixed together into a conglomera- -tion of a thick or relatively viscous nature. It is preferred that the hopper 33 be supplied continuously with such materials so as to maintain the hopper partially full,

hereby assuring substantially continuous supply of mateials for handling in the incinerator.

Means are also provided for transferring or conveying he scraps or waste material from the hopper 33 into the otary burning drum 24, and this means includes a conluit 35 having a lower receiving end which is arranged in :ommunicating relation with the bottom of the hopper 33 `or receiving materials therefrom. The discharge end of he conduit projects upwardly into the ingress end 26 of he rotary drum for supplying material thereto. Alhough not shown in the drawing, the conduit 35 is pro- 'ided with a screw auger or helicoid which extends hrough the conduit and is rotatable therein. This screw luger also extends into the bottom of the hopper 33 for larrying material-s from the hopper into the ingress end 56 of the rotary drum 24. Although not shown in the nstant drawing, the screw auger within the conduit 35 vill be provided with suitable drive connections from an ilectric motor whereby the screw auger will be revolved vhen the electric motor is energized.

It is'pointed out that the lower end of the conduit is naintained in a substantially lled condition with liquid. The liquid is maintained approximately at a level located ubstantially above the lower end of the conduit 35 so hat a gas seal is defined for preventing any movement of ;ases between the interior of the conduit 35 and the hop- )er 33. This arrangement prevents combustion flash- )acks into and through the hopper and a detailed descripion of this arrangement is also set forth in copending tpplication Ser. No. 344,698 now Pat. No. 3,269,341.

Means are provided for continuously maintaining the hird level within the hopper 33 and in the embodiment hown, a supply pipe 36 which is connected to a suitable `ource of water is connected through a valve 37 to the iopper 33 above the lower end of the conduit 35. The ource of water supply through the pipe 43 is also coniected through a valve 38 and pipe 39 to continuously lirect a stream of water into the rotary burning drum 24 tdjacent the ingress end 26 thereof whereby a substantial iupply of water is directed to the bottom of the rotary irum at all times.

The incinerator apparatus is also provided with a )air of high pressure burners (although only one is :hown) disposed at the ingress end of the drum. These )urners 40 may be of any suitable type but are preferably tdjustable for burning liquid combustibles and other inlustrial scrap which may be easily segregated by gravity. l`hese burners 40 are of a conventional commercial type 1nd are provided with pump units which is a feature well mown in the art.

During operation of the incinerator apparatus 10, the irum 24 is revolved slowly through the chain drive from :he motor 23. The burners 40 direct ames into the ingress end 26 of the drum and the materials to be incinerited will be supplied to the drum through the conduit 35 oy cooperative action of the screw auger therein. The temperatures within the drum will be maintained at a level to effectively ignite and incinerate not only the solid scrap material but also the volatilized liquids which are fed thereto. The operation therefore is quite similar to the operation of the incinerator apparatus disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 344,698 now Pat. No. 3,269,341 and a further detailed description thereof is felt unnecessary for the instant application.

It has -been found that one of the first parts of rotary incinerators to become spent or worn and which must be replaced is the rotary burning drum since the drum is subjected to very high temperatures and the corrosive action of some of the materials which are incinerated therein. It is therefore desirable to be able to remove the rotary drum without necessitating complete disassembly of the incinerator apparatus and essentially the carriage 12. Because of the cooperative relation of the spline engaging or locking elements 14 of the carriage 12 with the splines or locking elements 25 on the rotary l burning drum 24, the rotary burning drum may be removed from the carriage 12 by applying axial force to the rotary drum. Therefore when .it is desirable to remove or replace the rotary burning drum 24, the drum may be separated or disconnected from the stack housing 29 and burners 4t) removed from the drum. Further theconduit 35 will be disengaged from the drum and one end of the rotary drum may be engaged by a hook which is secured to a `line that is carried by any suitable prime mover such as a crane, dragline, tractor or the like. Thus by exerting an axial pull on the rotary drum, the drum may be removed from the carriage 12 while the latter remains intact in its mounted relation upon the frame 11. In some instances to facilitate the removal of the drum 24 the splines 25 which are welded to the exterior of the drum may be knocked olf or purposely removed in some other way from the exterior surface of the Vdrum 24, prior to actual removal of the drum from carriage 12. Therev after a new drum may be repositioned within the carriage 12 by reversing the operation. Thus the down time of the incinerator apparatus is reduced to the minimum and the entire replacement may be very efficiently performed in a minimum of time and with a minimum of effort. The cooperation of the locking elements 14 and 25 provides a simple interengaging relation between the carriage and rotary drum so that the rotary drum will be effectively revolved with the carriage. This arrangement as set forth herein above allows the drum and carriage to be constructed to permit ready removal of the rotary drum with respect to the carriage.

It will therefore be seen that the novel incinerator apparatus described above permits replacement of that part which is subjected to the most rapid wear but in a manner to minimize the time needed for the replacement operation.

It will be noted however, that the relatively quick and easy replacement capability of the rotary drum with respect to the carriage of the incinerator apparatus in no way adversely .affects the incinerating efficiency of the apparatus.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a novel and improved incinerator apparatus which is not only of simple and inexpensive construction but one which functions in a more efficient manner than any heretofore known comparable apparatus.

It will of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Incinerator apparatus for incinerating scrap and the like, said apparatus comprising,

a frame,

a drum supporting carriage,

means on the frame revolvably mounting said carriage for rotary movement and horizontally orienting said carriage thereon only,

drive means drivingly engaging said carriage for revolving the same in a predetermined direction,

an elongate burning drum positioned concentrically `within said carriage and having a material ingress and a material egress end,

cooperating spline elements on said drum and carriage respectively interengaging each other whereby said drum will be revolved with said carriage when the latter is revolved in a predetermined direction, but permitting the drum to be removed axially from the carriage without necessitating removal of the carriage from the frame.

2. An incinerator apparatus for incinerating scrap containing liquid, waste and the like, said apparatus comprising,

a frame,

a carriage of generally cylindrical configuration including a plurality of annular track members rigidly interconnected by longitudinally extending .locking elements,

means on the lframe engaging said track members and horizontally mounting said carriage for rotary movement relative to said frame,

drive means drivingly engaging said carriage for revoiving the same in a predetermined direction,

an elongate burning drum positioned concentrically ywithin said carriage and having a material ingress and a material egress end,

locking elements on said drum inter-engaging said locking elements on said carriage whereby said drurn will be revolved with said carriage when the latter is revolved in said predetermined direction, but permitting the drum to ybe removed axially from said carriage `without necessitating removal of the carriage from the frame.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said mounting means on said frame comprises a plurality of track engaging rollers.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said drive means includes an annular sprocket afxed to the exterior of said carriage, motor means mounted adjacent said carriage, and a drive chain member drivingly connected with said motor and trained about said sprocket.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said locking elements on said drum comprises a plurality of axially extending circumferentially spaced apart elongate splines.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,176,267 10/1939 Meiselman et al. 263-22 X FOREIGN PATENTS 16,234 11/1888 Great Britain.

JAMES W. WESTHAVER, Primary Examiner. 

1. INCINERATOR APPARATUS FOR INCINERATING SCRAP AND THE LIKE, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING, A FRAME, A DRUM SUPPORTING CARRIAGE, MEANS ON THE FRAME REVOLVABLY MOUNTING SAID CARRIAGE FOR ROTARY MOVEMENT AND HORIZONTALLY ORIENTING SAID CARRIAGE THEREON ONLY, DRIVE MEANS DRIVINGLY ENGAGING SAID CARRIAGE FOR REVOLVING THE SAME IN A PREDETERMINED DIRECTION, AN ELONGATE BURNING DRUM POSITIONED CONCENTRICALLY WITHIN SAID CARRIAGE AND HAVING A MATERIAL INGRESS AND A MATERIAL EGRESS, END, COOPERATING SPLINE ELEMENTS ON SAID DRUM AND CARRIAGE RESPECTIVELY INTERENGAGING EACH OTHER WHEREBY SAID DRUM WILL BE REVOLVED WITH SAID CARRIAGE WHEN THE LATTER IS REVOLVED IN A PREDETERMINED DIRECTION, BUT PERMITTING THE DRUM TO BE REMOVED AXIALLY FROM THE CARRIAGE WITHOUT NECESSITATING REMOVAL OF THE CARRIAGE FROM THE FRAME. 